Cagayan de Oro – The Department of Social Welfare and Development recently conducted the Alternative Dispute Resolution and Grievance Redress System training for its Regional Project Management Office staff and the Sub Regional Project Management staff under Kalahi-CIDSS National Community Driven Development Program (KC-NCDDP), held at Chali Beach Resort Hotel.

The KC-NCDDP is a flagship anti-poverty program of the national government that promotes transparency, active participation, and it empowers people through the community-driven development (CDD) approach. Since the program promotes accountability in its project implementation including the people behind it, the Grievance Redress System (GRS) was created as one of the mechanisms used to responds to queries and clarifications about the program and to problems that arise out of the implementation.

The objectives of the training are to develop and enhance the skills of Regional Project Management Office (RPMO) Staff and Sub Regional Project Management Office (SRPMO) Staff in the field of mediation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution handling. The activity also promotes the deeper understanding of Grievance System that will ensure its viability in all levels of the project implementation.

In the training proper, Mr. Benjie Ramos Monitoring and Evaluation Officer IV of the National Project Management Office (NPMO) was the resource speaker. Highlights of his presentation and discussion were the Social Accountability, GRS Handling Structures & Processes, Municipality-community Roles & Responsibilities, Conflict Management Concepts-Diagnosis, Alternative Dispute Resolution & Techniques and overview of Republic Act 9285.

Other highlights of the training were the workshop and actual execution in handling conflict management. On the other hand, Mr. Martin Canguit General Administration and Support Services Division Chief of DSWD X shared also the Regional Grievance System of the department.

The activity ended with the closing remarks by Ms. Teofreda Dingal Deputy Regional Program Manager of Kalahi CIDSS, with words of encouragement and guidance to all RPMO and SRPMO staff to do their job well in order to be fair and righteous in dealing the Grievance Redress System.

Written by: Luis T. Arquiza, DSWD X